COUPLE CHILDBEARING PLANS AND BIRTHS IN SWEDEN

We use data from a nationally representative sample of Swedish couples to estimate effects of partners' childbearing plans on the rate of su bsequent childbearing. Only 11% of the couples in this sample expresse d plans in opposite directions (plan to have a child versus not to hav e a child), but 24% had differing levels of certainty about their plan s. Of the couples in which both partners said they definitely planned to have another child, 44% had a child within two years. If neither pa rtner planned to have another child, less than 2% of couples had a bir th. The figure was 6% if the partners had opposing childbearing plans. Thus, both men and women exerted veto power over further childbearing . Disagreements were equally likely to be resolved in favor of the wom an as of the man, and effects of partners' plans on the birth hazard d id not depend on the couple's gender arrangements, family ideologies, or marital status. We discuss these results in the context of Sweden's public support for gender equality and for childrearing, its pervasiv e contraceptive regime, and its high rates of cohabitation. We also ar gue for the collection of data from partners in future family and fert ility surveys.